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This guide shows you <strong>how to use the Bootcfg utility</strong> for the following Windows versions: <strong>Windows XP, Server 2003, NT 4.0 or 2000.</strong>

Bootcfg is only available on Windows XP. If you're looking for the <strong>bootrec utility</strong> (available for Windows Vista, 7, 8, 8.10, <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/bootrec/">read the Bootrec guide</a>.

[toc]

<h2>About bootcfg</h2>

Using the bootcfg utility you can modify the boot.ini file. The utility is part of Windows XP Recovery Console.

The Recovery Console is available on your original Windows XP installation disc.

<p class="info">If you don't have the installation disc, use <a href="https://neosmart.net/EasyRE/">Easy Recovery Essentials</a>. You can burn EasyRE directly on a CD, DVD or USB to access Command Prompt.</p>

With this utility you can:

<ul>
<li>rebuild a new boot.ini file</li>
<li>scan your hard drive for new Windows installations (Windows NT 4.0; Windows 2000; Windows XP) and add these to the boot.ini file</li>
</ul>

<h3>Parameters</h3>

Parameters for bootcfg are:

<code>bootcfg /default</code> will set the default operating system automatically.

<code>bootcfg /add</code>, <code>bootcfg /rebuild</code> and <code>bootcfg /scan</code> will scan the hard drive for new Windows installations, and then it allows you to add these installations to the file (except for /scan which will only print found installations).

bootcfg /add will print this type of message:

<pre>Scanning all disks for Windows Installations
Please wait, since this may take a while...

Total Identified Windows Installs: 2

[1] C:\Windows
[2] D:\Windows

Select installation to add: (select a number)

Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu)
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)</pre>

bootcfg /rebuild will print this type of message:

<pre>Total Identified Windows Installs: 2

[1] C:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu)
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)

[2] D:\Windows
Add installation to boot list? (Yes/No/All):
Enter Load Identifier: (Custom description for an operating system loading from the Boot menu)
Enter Operating System Load Options: (that is: /fastdetect)</pre>

bootcfg /scan will print this type of message:

<pre>Scanning all disks for Windows Installations
Please wait, since this may take a while...

Total Identified Windows Installs: 2

[1] C:\Windows
[2] D:\Windows</pre>

<code>bootcfg /list</code> will read the boot.ini and display it. It will print this type of message:

<pre>Total entries in boot list: 2

[1] Microsoft Windows Whistler Professional
Operating System Load Options: /fastdetect
Operating System Location: D:\Windows

[2] Microsoft Windows Whistler Server
Operating System Load Options: /fastdetect
Operating System Location: C:\Windows</pre>

<code>bootcfg /redirect</code> will enabled redirection in the boot loader.

<code>bootcfg /disableredirect</code> will disable redirection in the boot loader.

<h2>Run bootcfg</h2>

<h3>If you can boot into Windows XP</h3>

The bootcfg command is usually used to modify the boot.ini. You can modify the boot.ini file directly from Control Panel.

To do so, follow these steps:

<ol>
<li>Click Start</li>
<li>Click Control Panel</li>
<li>Click <strong>Performance and Maintenance</strong></li>
<li>Click <strong>System</strong></li>
<li>At the <em>Advanced</em> tab, click <strong>Startup and Recovery</strong></li>
<li>Click <strong>Settings</strong></li>
<li>At the <em>System Startup</em> tab, click Edit</li>
<li>Save the changes and click <strong>OK</strong></li>
<li>Click Start</li>
<li>Go to <strong>Run</strong></li>
<li>Type <code>msconfig</code></li>
<li>Hit <kbd>Enter</kbd></li>
<li>Click the boot.ini tab

<h3>If you can't boot into Windows XP</h3>

If you can't boot into Windows XP to run the bootcfg command, you have two options:

<ul>
<li>Boot into the Recovery Console with the original Windows XP installation disc</li>
<li>Use Easy Recovery Essentials to launch the Command Line from it directly (you can burn EasyRE to any CDs or DVDs)</li>
</ul>

<strong>Instructions if you have the original Windows XP installation disc:</strong>

<ol>
<li>Insert the Windows XP CD in the optical drive</li>
<li>Reboot the computer</li>
<li>At the Microsoft Setup menu, press <kbd>R</kbd></li>
<li>Select the operating system</li>
<li>Enter the Administrator password</li>
<li>When <strong>Command Prompt</strong> appears, you can type the <strong>bootcfg</strong> command:
<pre>bootcfg /rebuild</pre>
</li>
<li>Once completed, type <code>exit</code> to reboot the computer</li>
</ol>

<strong>Instructions if you use Easy Recovery Essentials:</strong>

<ol>
<li><a href="https://neosmart.net/EasyRE/">Download Easy Recovery Essentials</a></li>
<li>Burn the ISO Image. Follow our <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/creating-a-bootable-cd-or-dvd/">instructions on how to burn a bootable ISO image</a>. If you’d like to have a recovery USB instead, <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/easybcd/tips-and-tricks/easyre-recovery-usb/">follow our instructions on how to make a recovery USB</a>.</li>
<li>Boot Easy Recovery Essentials from the CD, DVD or USB</li>
<li>Select <strong>Launch Command Line</strong>

<h2>Troubleshooting</h2>

<h3>bootcfg /scan failed</h3>

If the <code>bootcfg /scan</code> command failed and throws an error, try to run the chkdsk (related guide: <a href="https://neosmart.net/wiki/chkdsk/">chkdsk</a>) command first to detect that your hard disk has no issues:

<ol>
<li>Insert the Windows XP installation CD in the disk tray</li>
<li>Restart your computer</li>
<li>Boot from the CD</li>
<li>At the <strong>"Press any key"</strong> message, press any key</li>
<li>At the Windows Options menu, press <kbd>R</kbd> to open <strong>Recovery Console</strong>

</li>
<li>Enter the password for the Administrator account</li>
<li>When Command Prompt appears on your screen, type this command and press <kbd>Enter</kbd>:

<pre>chkdsk C: /r</pre>

where <code>C:</code> is the letter of the drive where Windows is installed and the <code>/r</code> parameter will try to repair errors and scan for bad sectors.
</li>
</ol>

<h2>More Information</h2>
[partial name="partial_moreinfo" versions="xp,server2003"]